Recently, the atmosphere around China has been tense, with US and Chinese naval and air forces engaging in a fierce standoff in the Asia-Pacific region. According to open-source satellite images and reports from Japan's Ministry of Defense, on May 28th, the two carrier strike groups were in an opposing posture. The USS Washington was operating near Yokosuka port in Japan, the USS America amphibious assault ship arrived in waters east of Okinawa Island, and the USS Nimitz battle group returned to the South China Sea. At the same time, the Shandong carrier strike group was also in the South China Sea, while the Liaoning carrier strike group continued southward, reaching waters east of Luzon Strait by May 28th, approximately 500 kilometers from Taiwan. The formation included one Type 055 destroyer, three Type 052D destroyers, two Type 054A frigates, and one Type 901 replenishment ship. However, Japan's Ministry of Defense later discovered that our navy's carrier strike group had another Type 055 destroyer.

In fact, since late April, the scale of the fleet dispatched by China in the waters around Taiwan, the Ryukyu Islands, the East China Sea, and the South China Sea has significantly increased. Reuters reported that from the 21st to the 27th, China deployed nearly 60 and 70 warships respectively, about 3/4 of which were naval vessels, including destroyers, missile frigates, and coast guard ships. Additionally, there were two carrier strike groups, one located in the busy shipping channels of the South China Sea and the other along the eastern coastal areas of Taiwan.

If this is considered a large-scale standoff, such a large-scale standoff began as early as late April. On April 22nd, the Philippine Navy spokesperson reported that the Shandong carrier strike group, including six destroyers and support ships, was active in the Philippine Sea. Meanwhile, the US Navy's USS Nimitz carrier strike group, including three Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, arrived east of Leyte Bay and was also active near the Philippine Sea.

Considering this lineup, China still had numerous warships celebrating Navy Day in grand style, escorting in the Gulf of Aden, maintaining normal combat readiness, and conducting regular patrols around Taiwan Island, continuing to do so until now. This is the scale in the Western Pacific, far exceeding the level of the small-scale actions previously conducted by the United States in the Red Sea.

Some people may wonder why such a large fleet was deployed. First, it could be a dual-carrier exercise in the South China Sea. Last year, we conducted a dual-carrier exercise in the South China Sea. Could we expect something similar this year, perhaps with the Shandong and Liaoning carriers meeting in the Philippine Sea? It might even go further. The Fujian aircraft carrier is also undergoing rapid sea trials, suggesting that good news is not far off. Second, this appears to be a rehearsal for regional denial and anti-access capabilities in a localized conflict scenario.

Since the US carrier is present, it provides a perfect opportunity to practice with them. These series of actions are sufficient to demonstrate that the initiative of the first island chain is in whose hands. Neither the US, Japan, nor Australia have any strategic space for intervention, and Taiwan's strategic space can be said to have been completely eliminated.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7511142993538204199/

Disclaimer: The article represents the views of the author alone. Please express your opinions by clicking the "Like" or "Dislike" buttons below.